Thanks to the La Jolla-based festival, founded by Craig “Spike” Decker and Mike Gribble in 1977, “Beavis and Butt-Head” was able to find an audience. It also provided South Park creators Matt Stone and Trey Parker a place to show their early work.

But there’s more to animation than the oddball stuff, which is why the latest Spike and Mike festival has none of that gross-out, creepy entertainment.

“We focused so much on the sick and twisted over the last few years that we got away from why we originally started doing this,” Spike said.

So for the latest show, running now through Nov. 28 at the Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego, Spike collected over 20 selections from around the world to share with a new generation of filmgoers.

Standouts: Some of Spike’s favorites include “At the Opera,” a new piece by Argentine animator Juan Pablo Zaramella; “KJFG: Moon,” a Hungarian short that won Best International Film at the European Tampere Film Festival; and Germany’s “Love & Theft.”

“We went through 600 titles to find 22 films,” he said. “I feel like these are all extraordinary. We’ve got a bit of everything — from the very high-budget and high-production pieces to the charming, humorous ones.”

Track record: Spike is convinced there are future animation stars in his latest crop of films. And anyone who doubts that should check his track record. The Spike and Mike animation festival showcased the early works of Pixar’s Andrew Stanton (“Finding Nemo,” “WALL-E”), Pete Docter (“Up,” “Monsters, Inc.”) and John Lasseter (“Toy Story,” “Cars”). Also on that list is Nick Park, creator of “Wallace & Gromit.”

“I’m like somebody who works on Stradivarius violins,” he explained. “You just know what works and why it works, you think about things like timing, you balance the short pieces and the long. It’s just a skill I’ve honed because I’ve done it for so many years.”